were divers, but were, in general, that the governor's salary was too high, the senate aristocratic, the lawyers extortionate, and taxes too burdensome. Among the demands were, that the general court should no longer sit in Boston, and that a large issue of paper money should be made. Though the conventions deprecated violence, there were uprisings in several counties, directed against the courts, which were popularly regarded as the instruments of legal oppression, especially in the collection of debts. The tribunals were prevented from sitting, in many cases, and the malcontents grew bolder. The militia was often powerless, as its members largely sympathized with the mobs. An attempt by the legislature to redress some of the popular grievances proved futile. Shays first became known as a leader in the rebellion when, at the head of about 1,000 men, he appeared at Springfield to prevent the session of the supreme court at that place. The court-house, by the governor's order, had been occupied by a somewhat smaller body of militia under Gen. William Shepard, which sustained the court, but, after sitting three days, it adjourned, having transacted little business, and on the fourth day both parties dispersed. Shays was also present at the large gathering of insurgents that took place in Worcester in December, and retired at the head of a large part of them to Rutland, Vt., on 9 Dec. At this time he seems to have regretted his part in the agitation, as, in a conversation with a confidential agent of the state, he expressed his desire to desert his followers and receive a pardon. The officer was afterward empowered to offer him one on that condition, but had no opportunity to do so. In January, 1787, three bodies of insurgents concentrated on Springfield, where they hoped to capture the Continental arsenal, which was defended by Gen. Shepard with 1,000 militia. The largest body, under Shays, numbered 1,100 men, and approached by the Boston road. Meanwhile the state government had raised and equipped an army of 4,000 men, under Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, whose approach made hasty action necessary. Shays sent a message to Luke Day, the leader of one of the other bodies of insurgents, saying that he should attack the arsenal on 25 Jan., and desiring Day's aid. The latter answered that he could not move till the 26th, but the despatch was intercepted by Gen. Shepard, and the militia were therefore in readiness. Before advancing, Shays had sent a petition to Gen. Lincoln, who was then two days' march from Springfield, proposing a truce till the next session of the legislature, but before a reply could reach him he attacked the arsenal early on the afternoon of the 25th. After repeated warnings, and two volleys over the heads of the approaching body, the militia fired directly into their ranks, killing three men and wounding one. Shays attempted to rally his men, but they retreated precipitately to Ludlow, ten miles distant, and on the day effected a junction with the forces of Eli Parsons, the Berkshire leader, after losing about 200 by desertion. After the arrival of Gen. Lincoln's army, and the consequent flight of Day and his men, Shays continued his retreat through South Hadley to Amherst. He was pursued by the state troops to this point, and then took position on two high hills in Pelham, which were rendered difficult of access by deep snow. On 30 Jan., Gen. Lincoln summoned him to lay down his arms, and Shays returned a conciliatory answer, suggesting a truce till a reply could be obtained to a petition that had just been sent to the general court. Gen. Lincoln refused. Meanwhile the legislature met, declared the state to be in rebellion, and rejected the petition, which too much resembled a communication from one independent power to another. On 3 Feb. the insurgents moved to Petersham, under cover of a conference between one of their leaders and a state officer, and they were followed by the state troops in a forced march of thirty miles through a blinding snow-storm and in a bitter north wind. When they were overtaken the insurgents made little resistance. They were pursued for about two miles beyond the town; 150 were captured, and the rest dispersed. This ended Shays's rebellion. Several of its leaders were sentenced to be hanged, but they were finally pardoned. Shays, after living in Vermont about a year, asked and received pardon, and removed to Sparta, N. Y. He was allowed a pension in his old age, for his services during the Revolution. See “History of the Insurrections in Massachusetts in the Year 1786, and the Rebellion Consequent Thereon,” by George R. Minot (Boston, 1810), and Josiah G. Holland's “History of Western Massachusetts” (2 vols., Springfield, 1855).
SHEA, John Augustus (i-hay). author, b. in Cork, Ireland, in 1802; d. in New York, 15 Aug., 1845. He emigrated to this country in 1827, and
engaged in journalism. He published " Rudekki. an Eastern Romance of the Seventh Century, in Verse" (Cork, 1826); "Adolph, and other Poems"
(New York, 1831); "Parnassian Wild Flowers" (Georgetown, 1836); and "Clontarf, a Narrative Poem" (New York. 1843). A volume of his "Poems" was published after his death by his son, George Augustus Shea (1846). He left in manuscript "Di Vasari," an unfinished tragedy, a life of Byron, and a poem entitled "Time's Mission." His most popular piece is "The Ocean." His son, George, lawyer, b. in Cork, 10 June, 1826 ; d. in New York city, 15 Jan., 1895, emigrated to the United States in early life and settled in New York.
After being called to the bar, he attained distinc-
tion in his profession, and was appointed corpora-
tion attorney of New York from 1865 to 1867. He
became chief justice of the Marine court of New
York in 1870, and held the position up to 1882. He
was associate counsel with Charles O'Conor in de-
fending Jefferson Davis, and was counsel for the
Kings county elevated railroad in Brooklyn, estab-
lishing its charter by a decision of the court of ap-
peals, reversing the special and general terms in
Brooklyn. He wrote "Hamilton, a Historical
Study " (New York, 1877). An enlarged edition w a>
issued under the title " The Life and Epoch of Alex-
ander Hamilton, a Historical Study " (Boston, 1880).
SHEA, John Dawson Gilmary, author, b. in
New York city, 22 July, 1824; d. in Elizabeth, N. J.,
22 Feb., 1892. He was educated at the grammar-school
of Columbia college, of which his father was
principal, was admitted to the bar, but devoted
himself to literature. He edited the “Historical Magazine”
from 1859 till 1865, was one of the founders
and first president of the United States Catholic
historical society, was a member or corresponding
member of the principal historical societies in this
country and Canada, and corresponding member
of the Royal academy of history, Madrid. He had
received the degree of LL. D. from St. Francis
Xavier college, New York, and St. John's college,
Fordham. His writings include “The Discovery and
Exploration of the Mississippi Valley” (New York,
1853); “History of the Catholic Missions among
the Indian Tribes of the United States” (1854;
German translation, Würzburg, 1856); “The Fallen
Brave” (1861); “Early Voyages up and down the
Mississippi” (Albany, 1862); “Novum Belgium, an
